Cocoa bean processing includes fermenting harvested beans, drying the beans, de-hulling the beans to produce nibs, sterilizing the nibs, roasting the nibs, crushing the nibs into cocoa liquor, and optionally pressing the cocoa liquor to obtain cocoa butter and cocoa powder.
Traditionally, natural cocoa products are light brown in color and have a pH in the range of 5.1 to 6.0. A typical L-value of 10 grams of a natural cocoa in 30 grams of water measured with a Hunterlab colorimeter is 20 or higher, and a- and b-values are 8.5 and higher.
In order to generate darker and more reddish colors in cocoa products, a certain amount and type of alkali is added in an alkalization process. Alkalization is a process where cocoa products are alkalized under a certain amount of moisture, at a certain temperature, optionally under pressure, and for a certain amount of time. The alkalization process occurs in the presence of sodium, potassium, ammonium, or magnesium hydroxide or carbonate, for example and without limitation, potash (K2CO3). The alkalization process alters the flavor, color, and solubility of the cocoa powder in water
Current commercial demands require a cocoa manufacturer to produce cocoa products in a broad palette of colors, flavors, or both. While each manufacturer understands that manipulation of processing conditions such as temperature, water content, duration of processing time, and pH will affect the color and flavor of the cocoa product, there is no general consensus as to how to produce a cocoa product of a consistently desirable color, flavor, or both.
While the alkalization process may be used to produce darker and/or more reddish cocoa products, the presence of the alkalizing agent also affects the labeling of such cocoa products. Such alkalized cocoa products are often labeled as being “processed with alkali.” Thus, the presence of the alkalizing agent means such cocoa product cannot be considered “natural” and consumers are demanding “all natural” products which are typically lighter brown in color.
Thus, a growing need exists for cocoa products that possess the color of alkalized cocoa products, yet are considered “natural.”